Myrsinochori

The excavations carried out at Routsi in Myrsinochori of Messinia brought to light two vaulted tombs of the early Mycenaean period.

The first tomb in Myrsinochori had been plundered. However, some findings were preserved, such as pottery, two copper utensils, parts of silverware and some gold jewelry.

On the contrary, the second vaulted tomb in Myrsinochori was found intact. It contained a number of family burials, spanning two or three generations. The last burial was in the middle of the floor of the tomb, on a bedding or straw mat, made hastily, of color red or blue. The dead was a warrior that was killed in the battle, as near were found ten swords and daggers with leather holsters. He also had a mirror and numerous sealstones. He wore a heavy necklace of Baltic amber. Six more persons were buried in two cist graves under the floor, surrounded by oldest art objects: embossed ivory compasses, a comb with engraved wildcats hunting ducks, a variety of wonderful pottery and sealstones and above all two marvelous daggers with inlay decoration.

The two vaulted­­ tombs in Myrsinochori, which had a small diameter (approximately 5 m) probably contained the burials of a group of local officials and landowners, wealthy enough, as shown by the impressive findings, including one of the largest surviving swords of Mycenaean Greece.

In Myrsinochori have also been found two tombs with cist graves that date back to the Middle Helladic period. It seems that at this position had already been developed during the 17th century BC a strong settlement, whose decline is dated later, in the 13th century BC, when the Palace of Nestor was developed.